Background:
An agreement was concluded between Afghanistan and Qatar officials for the establishment of first standard football academy in the country. The agreement is part of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) and Qatar Football Association. Afghanistan Football Federation President General Keramuddin Karim along with Secretary General of the Afghanistan Football Federation Sayed Alireza Aghazada visited Qatar to sign the MoU. The establishment of the first standard football academy is the most important part of the five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Qatar has agreed to help Afghanistan establish the first standard academy, AFF said, adding that Qatar will also provide all Afghan national teams with training camps during the next five years.The Afghanistan football finished second during the 2015 SAFF championship and the establishment of the first standard football academy is expected to further boost the performance of the Afghanistan football team in the upcoming championships.(20160201)

The world football governing body FIFA called on the Afghan Football Federation (AFF) to postpone its election, saying the “the current environment is not conducive to a peaceful, transparent and orderly electoral process”. Issuing a letter signed by FIFA’s Secretary General Fatma Samoura, the world body says it cannot send its observers to oversee the AFF election of its management, slated for April 5, 2017. Part of the letter reminds the AFF to manage its affairs “independently and without influence from third parties.” “Failure to abide by this obligation might lead to sanctions as provided for in the FIFA Statutes,” the letter says. Incumbent Keramuddin Kiram and businessman Haroon Popal are running for AFF presidency. Afghanistan’s sports, including the National Olympics Committee, the government-run sports department and many independent sports federations, have been a place for fierce political clashes as different camps within the government and politicians try to installing their own people.(20170226)

Afghanistan has made strides to promote female football -- as well as the national side, four years ago (2014) it launched its first all-women's football league that ran in parallel with the men's. In 2017 the female teams were sidelined by a lack of funding.(20181209)

Allegations of sexual abuse of members of Afghanistan’s national women’s soccer team by sport officials have resulted in missed paychecks after sponsors pulled out, taunts and entreaties from parents to their daughters to quit playing. FIFA, global soccer’s governing body, suspended the head of the Afghan Football Federation and several other officials in December. The Afghan federation has called the allegations against its president, Keramuddin Keram, “groundless”.

Dubai-based Alokozay Group, a company with a ubiquitous presence in Kabul selling soft drinks, tissues and tea, pulled its $850,000 annual contribution to the federation in February, following Danish sports brand Hummel, which canceled its sponsorship in late November 2018. Afghanistan’s soccer federation is now solely funded by FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the government.(20190401)